Binarya didn’t have any idea on how to begin their self-experimentation, until Djalu asked a few questions and made a suggestion.
“This city is divided into Fact and Fancy. Based on how they’ve been described, they are very different places. One of you should go to Fact, one to Fancy. Leave your castle and live among your people. Return and tell each other about your experiences. Then trade places. Let the Emulates be what they wish. Praise them, and study them, for the uniqueness you find in them. Seeing their differences will in turn spur your own development.”
He makes an offer as well. “The journey is never easy. But I am a guide on the path you walk. I will help you, if you wish.”
The problem of Fez’s fork is solved by Djalu as well. “The astral cord is the accumulated memory of a soul. But returning to the body rewinds the cord, consuming it. For Fez to return to their body, they must return along that path. Doing so should reunite them into one being.”
The Newmans are willing to try it. And sure enough, Fez comes together as the team approach their point of departure.
“I thought I was so smart, building a heart factory that could do mental merges,” Leo observes wryly. “And the universe has a way to do it naturally.”
“At the cost of forgetting the experience,” Summer points out. “Djalu, I’d like to remember this journey. I think… if I recall correctly, those of us who wish to remember should walk forward to our selves, rather than returning along the cord? Make a new path back?”
Djalu beams. “That is correct. If you ever weary of your current occupation, miss, I would love to take you on as an apprentice shaman.”
Leo regains consciousness fitfully. He tries to stand, finds himself too dizzy and dehydrated to manage it, and slumps back down. He feels, rather than sees, Djalu carefully tilting a water bottle up at his lips, and the trickle of water down his throat revitalizes him.
He moves around the interior of the RV, reactivating his robot friends one by one. And before anything else, he heads to the diagnostic display, where Fez’s neural readings are returning to normal.
Sure enough, in a few seconds the baby rezzes back into existence. Aria, who has only just come back online herself, immediately squats down and scoops up her child for snuggling.
The knotty problem of paying for Djalu’s services has not been discussed. But the shaman has an answer for this as well. “I’ll see if that Ms. Worthington wishes to cover my services to her patron. Or patrons. The ‘royal we’ has never been so appropriate, haha. But I should say that this singular experience with all of you has been payment enough.”
Otto offers to drive him back to Darwin. Djalu pales slightly. “At… perhaps a slower speed this time. I trust your driving skills, but…”
Otto laughs. “Nah, I get it. Ol’ Otto’s just too much sometimes.”
Leo begins working on something once Otto and the shaman depart. In an hour or so, the molecular lathe finishes fabricating his project, and he shows Aria and the others what he’s got: a pair of wristwatch-like devices, and a small microcircuit patch, able to be stuck onto skin.
“Net Worth said something worthwhile,” he explains. “There is something wrong in my head. And I do have a neurochip. So I want to try something. If I start heading toward a violent reaction, both these devices will pick it up. Aria gets one, I get the other.”
He looks at his friends. “I realize that as helpful as it was for me to get away, Aria and Fez and me need all of you. So if I can warn myself before I flip out and hurt someone - if I can sedate myself or something before it gets too bad - so much the better. I’ll fine tune it, maybe add some more features, we’ll see. But if this works, we’re coming back to Safe Harbor full time.”
Aria takes one device from Leo and straps it on. She looks to Big Bill and Mo. “I agree. We need all of you. Without the two of you in particular, your sacrifices and your insights, I don’t think we could have succeeded.”
Big Bill adopts a shy aw-shucks pose, and even Mo looks away in pleased embarrassment. Summer punches both of them lightly in the shoulder and grins. “We all depend on the two of you. Never forget how much we appreciate it.”
That, of course, just adds to the awkward joy of the pair.
Summer has been invited to interviews and talk shows a few times, to talk about her life and experience. Her helping the people on the Haven space station hasn’t been forgotten. In fact, people have only become more interested in her.
She’s finally eased into her new role as minor celebrity. Today, she’s going on a French television show to talk about life as a robot, the responsibilities and techniques of rescue operations, and whatever else they ask. She still doesn’t trust her French, but they will speak English during the interview and a translation will be available for the audience. Good enough.
A woman approaches her in the green room, twenty minutes before the show goes live. Summer recognizes her immediately - it’s Annette Worthington. She has none of the trappings of a priestess. She looks instead like a well-to-do socialite with money.
Summer tenses, but isn’t quite convinced there’ll be a fight. And Annette doesn’t start one. Instead, she sits down beside Summer and begins speaking in a low voice.
“I hated all of you. The more I learned about you, the more I hated you. You were satisfied with what you had, when you had nothing. Or what I thought was nothing. I doubt you’ll ever really forgive Binarya or I for what we did. Maybe you shouldn’t. But I wanted to say…”
She finally lifts her head to look Summer in the eye. “You’re a rescue robot. And you rescued us. You were true to your calling. So if you take pride in that, know that you completely deserve it.”
She stands up and tries to walk away, but Summer’s question pulls her back. “What are you doing now?”
Net Worth turns and smiles weakly. “I’ll never be a good person. I didn’t lie about that. I am selfish and greedy. But… I’m out here seeing if there’s a way to get television into the afterlife. The kids could do with some Sesame Street, don’t you think?”
She walks away, and Summer lets out a long, relieved sigh.
General Kovačević’s reputation has fallen significantly with the destruction of the Winter Cradle.
The general led a top-secret Russian facility which was destroyed by Alycia Chin and the MIA team in “413 - City of Clones” – Ed.
Nevertheless, he has talent, and his Antibodies have been successful in other areas. One such report now comes personally to his phone, delivered by the actual Antibody on the mission.
“The robotic Newmen of Safe Harbor departed recently. They left their operations room unguarded. I was able to briefly gain access to the systems. The systems are highly specialized and unique so we were not able to compromise them with our standard viral packages. However, I now have a one-use password to operate their Launch System. I have also sabotaged their new fusion power plant, per your instructions.”
Kovačević smiles. “Excellent. I will ready the strike team. You will portal them through when the power plant fails and the Newmen gather there to inspect the damage. You will receive further instructions on your next check-in. Sidorov assures me he will not fail - and I know he will not, for I am making the plans now, not him. Until then, continue with your cover as usual.”
The Antibody signs off, leaving the general to consider his next move.